Gerry Rogers

Gerry Rogers (born 1956) is a Canadian documentary filmmaker and politician. She was leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party from 2018 until 2019. She served in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly as NDP MHA for the electoral district of St. John’s Centre from 2011 to 2019.[1] She became the party's leader after winning the April 2018 leadership election.[2] She resigned as party leader prior to the 2019 provincial election and did not seek re-election.[3][4]

Gerry Rogers
Leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party
In office
April 8, 2018 – March 5, 2019
Preceded byLorraine Michael
Succeeded byAlison Coffin
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for St. John's Centre
In office
October 27, 2011 – April 17, 2019
Preceded byShawn Skinner
Succeeded byJim Dinn
Personal details
Born1956 (age 66–67)
Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada
Political partyNew Democrat
SpousePeg Norman (m. 2017)
Residence(s)St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Occupationdocumentary filmmaker, social worker

Background

Rogers was born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, to Leo Rogers from St. John's and Philomena Coles from Port Saunders. Leo joined the army, and the family moved to Montreal, then to Toronto, Winnipeg and Germany. They eventually returned to St. John’s in 1979, where Rogers completed a bachelor of social work at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Rogers worked at the St. John’s Women’s Centre, where she helped establish the first transition house for battered women.

In 1982, she moved to Montreal to make documentary films at the National Film Board's Studio D, the only state funded women’s filmmaking unit in the world. Rogers made films with Studio D for 10 years.[5] In 1992, she returned to St. John’s and founded Augusta Productions, and directed several international award-winning films including My Left Breast, a documentary about her own battle with breast cancer.[6][7][8] Augusta Productions produces low-budget, POV, activist documentaries bringing viewers to the hearts and lives of people from every nook and cranny of society. The films work to uncover the joy and strength and resilience of people in difficult situations, celebrating and broadcasting their voices.[9]

Openly lesbian, Rogers is the partner of social worker and businessperson Peg Norman.[10][11] In honour of her role as a significant builder of LGBT culture and history in Canada, a portrait of Rogers by artist Claire Priddle was added to the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives' National Portrait Collection in 2003.[12]

Rogers became a marriage commissioner in 2005 in response to the many marriage commissioners who resigned after being told that they must perform same-sex marriages or resign from their positions.[13]

Politics

Rogers was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in the 2011 provincial election, representing the district of St. John’s Centre as a member of the New Democratic Party.[1][14][15] She was the first openly gay politician ever elected to the provincial legislature.[16] She was re-elected in the 2015 provincial election.[17][18]

In 2017, Rogers announced her intentions to run for leader of the provincial NDP, following the resignation of Earle McCurdy.[19][20] At the leadership convention on April 8, 2018, Rogers was elected leader with two-thirds of the vote.[2] Rogers is the first openly LGBT person to lead a political party in Newfoundland and Labrador.[21]

On February 12, 2019, Rogers announced she would be stepping down as leader and not seeking re-election in Newfoundland's upcoming election.[22] On March 5, 2019, Alison Coffin was acclaimed as NDP leader.[23] Rogers retired from the House of Assembly at its dissolution for the 2019 provincial election, which was held on May 16.[24]

Electoral record
2015 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes%±%
New DemocraticGerry Rogers2195
LiberalLynn Sullivan1923
Progressive ConservativeKathie Hicks490
Total valid votes
2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
  NDP Gerry Rogers 2,569 54.44
Progressive ConservativeShawn Skinner2,04143.25
LiberalCarly Bigelow1092.31

Films
  • 2009 Ferron: Girl on a Road
  • 2000 My Left Breast
  • 1997 Kathleen Shannon: On Film, Feminism and Other Dreams
  • 1994 The Vienna Tribunal
  • 1991 Safer for Women, Safer for Everyone — Director (Documentary, Council of Ontario Universities)
  • 1990 After the Montreal Massacre
  • 1988 Faithful Women Assistant — Director (7 x 1 hour doc series, NFB/VISION TV)
  • 1987 To a Safer Place — Producer (Documentary Series, NFB)
  • 1986-87 Children of War Double voix/First Take/Double Take Thin Dreams Beyond Memory/Nouvelle memoire

Les enfants de la guerre

— Program Producer (Documentaries, NFB)

  • 1987 The Impossible Takes A Little Longer
  • 1987 Le vent dans les voiles
  • 1987 Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief
  • 1987 L’Avenir entre nos mains — Program Producer (Documentaries, NFB)
  • 1986 Sylvie’s Story
  • 1986 A Safe Distance
  • 1986 Si jamais tu pars
  • 1986 J’Osais pas rien dire
  • 1986 Fallait que ca change — Program Producer/(Documentaries, NFB)
  • 1984 Head Start: Meeting the Computer Challenge
  • 1984 L’Ordinateur en tete — Program Producer (Documentaries, NFB)
  • 1983 Attention Women At Work
  • 1983 Femmes au travail — Program Producer (Documentaries, NFB)
  • 1983 Moving On — Program Producer/Producer (Documentaries NFB)

Themes

Breast Cancer, Feminism, LGBTQ+ Community, LGBTQ+ Activism, Violence Against Women.[25]

Frequent collaborators

Kathleen Shannon, Ginny Stikeman, Terre Nash, Nicole Hubert.[25]

Awards and honours

Portrait in the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives’ national Portrait collection, Gemini Award for My Left Breast (2001), Gold at HotDocs for My Left Breast

  • 2001, Won Gemini Award for 'Best History/Biography Documentary Program'
  • 2001, Won 'Audience Award' at Dallas OUT TAKES Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
  • 2001, Won 'Best Documentary' at Dallas OUT TAKES Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
  • 2001, Won 'Outstanding Direction' at Dallas OUT TAKES Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
  • 2001, Won 'Best Canadian Film or Video' at Inside Out Film and Video Festival
  • 2002, Won Audience Award for 'Best Documentary Film' at Boulder Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
  • Leadership for Women’s Health in Atlantic Canada
  • Rogers was a 1995 Recipient of the CTV Fellowship for Banff and a resident of the Canadian Film Centre, Writing and Producing for TV program.
  • 1999, completed the Women In The Director’s Chair program in Banff.[5]

See also

References
  1. "NDP Leader Lorraine Michael re-elected". CBC News, October 11, 2011.
  2. "Gerry Rogers new provincial NDP leader". CBC News. April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  3. MacEachern, Daniel (May 16, 2019). "Exuberant NDP celebrates 'new era' as it holds St. John's seats, and wins back Labrador West". CBC News. Retrieved Nov 25, 2020.
  4. Roberts, Kelly-Anne (May 17, 2019). "'We have the balance of power,' Alison Coffin says as NDP wins three seats". NTV.
  5. "Augusta Productions » About ● Contact". Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  6. "Survivor appeals for legal standing at breast cancer inquiry". CBC News. September 20, 2007. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  7. "Earlier retesting could have saved lives: cancer survivor". CBC News. October 29, 2008. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  8. Richard Burnett (January 12, 2006). "Three Dollar Bill: A whole lotta Rosie". The Hour. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  9. "Augusta Productions". Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  10. "Rosie O'Donnell Offers NFLD NDP Candidate Campaign Contribution", Halifax Live, 26 December 2005, archived from the original on 27 September 2011, retrieved 2008-09-18
  11. "Newfoundland shows support for LGBTQ community in wake of controversial town vote | The Star". The Toronto Star. 29 April 2018.
  12. Gerry Rogers at the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives.
  13. Canada, P. M. N. (2019-02-17). "Still-active human rights case speaks to lasting homophobia in Canada: activists | National Post". National Post. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
  14. "NDP celebrates historic gains". CBC News. October 11, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  15. "Skinner, Pottle lose but most PC ministers re-elected". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  16. "Shawn Skinner loses seat to NDP" Archived 2012-09-13 at archive.today. The Telegram, October 11, 2011.
  17. "NDP Leader Earle McCurdy loses to Siobhan Coady". CBC News. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  18. "Full list of winners in Newfoundland and Labrador election". CBC News, November 30, 2015.
  19. Earle McCurdy stepping down as provincial NDP leader. CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, September 19, 2017.
  20. Maher, David (25 March 2018). "Coffin, Rogers duke it out for NDP leadership". The Southern Gazette. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  21. "Gerry Rogers wins NDP leadership race". The Telegram. April 8, 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  22. Feb 12, CBC News · Posted; February 12, 2019 11:08 AM NT | Last Updated. "Gerry Rogers stepping down as NDP leader, not seeking re-election | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  23. "Alison Coffin named new leader of provincial NDP". NTV News. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  24. "Here's the list of the winning candidates in the 2019 N.L. election". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, May 17, 2019.
  25. Canada, National Film Board of. "Search". National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
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